Abstract
Inclusion body disease of cranes (IBDCs) is fatal in many cases and reportedly caused by a herpes-like virus labeled as gruid herpesvirus 1 (GrHV-1). Although GrHV-1 has been isolated from IBDC-affected cranes, it has not been genetically classified because its genome has not been partially or fully sequenced. In this study, we isolated an alphaherpesvirus from hooded cranes (Grus monacha) diagnosed with IBDC in Japan. Next-generation sequencing revealed that this virus isolate was GrHV-1, based on the 99.98% sequence homology with a previously isolated GrHV-1 strain. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis of eight conserved herpesvirus genes supported the taxonomic assignment of GrHV-1 to the genus Mardivirus of the Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily. Based on these results, GrHV-1 can be more accurately classified and diagnostic tools to investigate suspected cases of IBDC can be developed. Furthermore, GrHV-1 showed effective replication in primary cultured cells derived from duck and chicken embryos and embryo tissues, highlighting the importance of further studies to evaluate its interspecies transmission.